Nope makes no reference or even proof of it so was a big shocker that just crossed my mind

I meant is the location there, like can you even get that far up the map in RDR1 (I haven't played it but I'm pretty sure Strawberry is only in RDR2 and Owanjila is pretty close to there)

Yeah You can go to the edge of Tall Trees where the bridge and dam is supposed to lead into Big Valley yet it's just deep water and rocks

It appears to be right at the edge of the cutoff on the turn to Cochinay

It's called a retcon, common practice in media, seemingly unheard of in the Red Dead community.

This dam is a likely explanation for the lower water level of the Upper Montana River during the storyline of Red Dead Redemption 2. By the time of the first game's story, the water level is much higher than as seen in the second game. It is possible the dam was either damaged, opened up, or left to disrepair.

Due to the presence of the Owanjila Dam on the river's northern end, the river and its immediate surrounding is vastly different between 1899 and 1911. The river was quieter, flatter and shallow compared to its later form where strong rapids flow in the river and is noticeably deeper. Another difference is that in 1899, the river can be crossed through and the geography of the area was friendlier than in 1911, where most of its northern face are surrounded by high cliffs and steep ridges.

It's suggested that the dam broke sometime after the events of RDR2 and that why the river is too high in RDR1 and John and Jack can't travel to Big Valley.

@Lincoln Allen which makes absolute sense. Seen similar in Meatworld. Place I dug fossils, creekbed. Bout ten years later was inaccessible for the most part and the areas I dug were simply washed out during flooding-including some businesses. Simply gone.